Originally published Jan. 22, 2011: We are proud to announce that the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has selected MPTF to receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for service to the industry! The Academy will present the Oscar® during the televised ceremony on Sunday, April 25th. MPTF has the distinction of being the first organization to be awarded the Hersholt. Tyler Perry will also be awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award this year.
Among the many luminaries and past Hersholt award recipients who have also played instrumental roles in supporting MPTF over the past 100 years are Samuel Goldwyn in 1957, Gregory Peck in 1967, Lew Wasserman in 1973, Dr. Jules C. Stein in 1975, Walter Mirisch in 1982, Howard Koch in 1989, Roger Mayer in 2004, and Jeffrey Katzenberg in 2012. Jean Hersholt was president of the Academy in the ‘40s and president of MPTF for 18 years, beginning in 1938. Bob Beitcher, MPTF CEO, said upon hearing the Academy’s announcement, “The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award goes to the current staff at MPTF and to the tens of thousands of other staff members since our founding in 1921 who advanced the mission of ‘taking care of our own’ through their compassion and respect for the dignity of our entertainment community members.” We are honored and humbled to be acknowledged with this Oscar®. Thank you for the opportunity to support the entertainment community that we love. Read the news in Deadline. >
